Brexit Revisited: : The Hangover Nobody Asked For
✍️ Author’s Note
Ten years ago, I wrote a piece titled “Brexit: A Case of Temporary Insanity.” I had hoped it would be just that—temporary. But history has a longer memory than political slogans, and reality eventually catches up with delusion. This new post is written not out of bitterness, but out of bemused resignation at what could have been avoided. Sometimes irony is the only way to make sense of a world that insists on repeating its mistakes. What follows is a satirical take, laced with dry reflection, on a very costly act of national theatre.
Once upon a referendum, Britain leapt overboard from the good ship Europe—convinced it could float on pure sovereignty and nostalgia.
The dream? Global Britain. Empire 2.0.
The reality? Shrinking GDP, red tape at Dover, and a lot of fish no one wants.
Ten years on, the Brexit fantasy has aged like unrefrigerated Stilton.
The promises? Never arrived.
The sovereignty? Mostly symbolic.
The pride? Still inflated.
The economy? Not so much.
From Churchill to Churchillian delusion, the British press (cheers, Murdoch) and the usual suspects—Farage, Johnson, and the gang—sold the public a “Take Back Control” piñata. Spoiler: it was empty.
Meanwhile, the EU, after years of tolerating Britain’s moody half-marriage (opt-outs, rebates, and eye-rolls), is now cautiously dating again. There’s talk of “reset,” “partnership,” and—gasp—defence cooperation.
It turns out, in a world of geopolitical blocs, it’s cold outside. Even colder when you’ve thrown your coat (and trade access) overboard.
So, what was the point of all this?
To prove that nationalism sells, but rarely delivers.
To remind us that myths make poor policy.
And to show, once again, that history repeats—first as tragedy, then as Brexit.
Netherlands, William J J Houtzager, Aka, August 2025
📌 Blog Excerpt
Ten years after Brexit, the promised sunlit uplands are still under construction, and Britain’s global ambition has turned into an expensive solo act.
This ironic reflection revisits the myths, missteps, and murky waters of Brexit—where sovereignty became symbolism, and the fog never quite lifted. Spoiler alert: nostalgia doesn’t pay the bills.
In what kind of world do we wish to live 